Iceland Hospital Wage Dispute in Deadlock

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Iceland Hospital Wage Dispute in Deadlock

February 11, 2013 09:12Updated: January 30, 2014 20:24

Few of the 280 nurses at Landspítali National University Hospital, who are set to leave on March 1, have withdrawn their resignations and almost 20 additional nurses have resigned. The deadline to accept Landspítali’s pay raise offer is tomorrow.

“Everyone is waiting for doomsday, February 12, hoping that nurses will stick together,” stated nurse Hildur Dís Kristjánsdóttir to Morgunblaðið. In a mass meeting yesterday, nurses wowed to show solidarity.

Hildur said she senses that nurses enjoy support from the public. A demonstration is being organized in front of Alþingi, the parliament, on Wednesday between 12 and 1 pm.

“We believe more needs to be done,” added chair of the Icelandic Nurses’ Union Elsa B. Friðfinnsdóttir. “A bigger step must be taken and we need some certainty that there will be a continuance of the equal salaries initiative.”

According to Fréttablaðið, Elsa is waiting for a response from director of Landspítali Björn Zoëga, while Björn states he is waiting for Elsa to make the next move.

Progressive Party MP Vigdís Hauksdóttir has called for a special meeting at Alþingi to discuss the wage dispute of healthcare workers, hoping it can take place tomorrow.

“It is very serious that so many people have resigned. They don’t seem to be about to come back as they can find employment in Norway,” Vigdís stated. In her opinion, the only solution is more funding to increase salaries.

Minister of Welfare Guðbjartur Hannesson has not commented on the matter.